MAHONING TOWNSHIP, Pa. -- Families and supporters made their way through Geisinger Medical Center's campus near Danville on Sunday in the March of Dime's March for Babies.
"We walk. Aiden was a preemie born at 24 weeks, one pound six ounces. We're here to raise money to help all babies born prematurely have that fighting chance," said Amy Toborg of Danville.
March of Dimes raises money for research to help understand and prevent premature births, and also provides support for families while their newborns are in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, or NICU.
"You know, getting them used to the NICU and kind of helping them prepare for this possibly long road that they're going to have in the NICU," said Dr. Eileen Tengco, a NICU physician at Geisinger.
After the walk, there was a special reunion inside the Janet Weis Children's Hospital between NICU staff and their previous patients with their families.
"Good emotions. It's good to see everyone, you know? I'm just so proud to see these babies and these families doing so well," added Dr. Tengco.
Dominika Fajnorova of Scranton says it's like being reunited with family.
"Spending hours and hours in the NICU with these nurses and doctors, it really becomes like one big family," says Fajnorova. "It's amazing progress to see that many beautiful children who without this hospital probably wouldn't be here."
Justin Morgan of Scranton says coming back to Geisinger brings back a lot of memories from his son's birth.
"From the first time that I drove here after work, she was already here. In the parking lot, that uncertainty and nervousness and all of that at first to being more confident as he developed and grew. The care that he got, I don't want to get choked up, but just amazing," said Morgan.
Visit the March of Dimes website for more information here.